Date/Time
Date(s) - July 4, 2015 - July 12, 2015
All Day

Location
any Ontario waters in contact with St. Joseph Island
1802 20th sideroad
Richards Landing, Ontario

THE ANNUAL ISLAND FISHING DERBY
The Annual Island Fishing Derby, organized by The St. Joseph Island Hunters and Anglers Association, coincides with Ontario’s Free Fishing Week every July. The Free Fishing Week is an invitation for all Canadian families to get outdoors and enjoy the fun of fishing together. With this in mind the Hunters and Anglers have started a fishing derby for children and adults that gives fishermen the ability to fish from their docks or from boats on Ontario waters that come in contact with St. Joseph Island. This also includes the waters along the North shore from Bar River to Thessalon.
When contestants register they are provided with an official contest ruler so they can take a picture of their catch and submit it to our email site via cell phones, tablets or home computers for inclusion in the derby. The pictures are reviewed each day and added to our fishing gallery with the leaders going to a leader board so the participants can see how they have placed. There are separate categories for children and adults with cash prizes (70% of the registration income) awarded for the longest fish caught in each species category.
The Annual Island Fishing Derby promotes ‘catch and release’ since the fish can be released after it has been photographed and uses digital technology to allow participants to be involved without having to travel to a weigh in station. Fish species to be included in the derby are selected prior to the tournaments start date and in the first year included pike, bass, pickerel, perch, salmon and ciscoe. The Derby runs for the entire week beginning Saturday at 6:00 a.m., continuing through the week, and finishing the following Sunday at noon. The Annual Fishing Derby promotes the sport of fishing by encouraging our younger Canadians to get involved and enjoy the sport. It also encourages good conservation practises and sportsmanship. All registration forms, rules and dates are provided on the SJIHA website.

For more information contact John Paterson – 705-246-3352 (email – jmpaterson47@gmail.com)